Golf tourney to attract 3,000 to Alpharetta

ALPHARETTA, Ga. — The ninth annual U.S. Collegiate Golf Championship, scheduled for Oct. 16-19, is on target to be their biggest and best event yet.

“We’re expecting to have over 3,000 people attend the event,” said Rich Dennis, the event’s co-chairman. “Not including of course, the participants.”

The event, held at the Golf Club of Georgia located at 1 Golf Club Drive off Windward Parkway in Alpharetta, will showcase top golfers from 15 colleges across the country including the event sponsor, Georgia Tech.

“This year, we’ll have some of the top college teams and players from across the country,” said Tori Pisciotta, co-chair. “We’ve had to turn down schools that wanted to participate because it’s getting so big.”

The three-day event is free to the public, with viewing up-close and personal to the players.

“We do have skyboxes that can be purchased and we’ll also have a large hospitality booth on the course,” Pisciotta said.

The program is managed by the nonprofit Friends of Georgia Cup. The event supports various scholarship programs.

“The Folds of Honor Foundation is our primary charity,” Dennis said. “With the money we raise from the event, we’re able to help them provide scholarships to family members of our military who’ve been injured or killed.”

Dennis said funds are raised through sponsorships and skybox purchases.

“We’ve kept the bulk of tickets for the event, free,” he said. “Because we want to draw in a large crowd.”

Pisciotta said people from all over the country come to the event, and many corporations like his employer, UPS, bring in executives and clients.